Lode golf-resort plan has some neighbors teed off

Friday

Residents in this town of failing wells and hills parched by summer heat worry that plans for a golf resort nearby will further deplete the area's limited groundwater.

BURSON - Residents in this town of failing wells and hills parched by summer heat worry that plans for a golf resort nearby will further deplete the area's limited groundwater.

Many also said at a public meeting Thursday night they are irritated that Mike Nemee, owner of the proposed Trinitas resort on Ospital Road, built his golf course before getting any permits.

"They did what they wanted to do, and we're going to have to live with it," said Gene Ogletree, who lives on Ospital Road.

More than 70 people gathered in the Burson fire house to cheer as their neighbors voiced worries over water issues and criticized Nemee for building the golf course without permits.

Nemee has said his goal is to live permanently on the site with his family and the resort lets him do that while still preserving much of the 280-acre ranch as open space. He argues planting grapes or building a large housing subdivision would use more water and destroy more habitat.

As part of his proposal, Nemee said he will keep a century-old olive orchard now on the property and sell organic olive oil from a tasting room at the resort.

Thursday's meeting was the first step in the formal review of the possible environmental impacts associated with opening the resort.

The environmental study will come before Nemee can get permits needed to operate the golf course and open a clubhouse, lodge and other features.

Calaveras County land-use planner Shaelyn Strattan opened the meeting with an overview of the project. But she said the golf course already exists and therefore won't be subject to environmental review.

Possible impacts identified in county documents include loss of 200 acres from agricultural production, increased traffic on narrow country roads and encouraging more development nearby if the roads are improved to serve the resort.

Water is always a worry in Burson, where many home wells have gone dry in recent years. Nemee says that with his property's three lakes and a golf course designed to use 60 percent less water than a traditional course, he's confident he can answer those worries.

Kent Shelton, who lives several miles from the project, said he's concerned in dry years Nemee will have to refill his lakes by pumping from deep wells. "Will that affect my well?" he asked.

Shelton said he has friends near Burson whose wells are already going dry.

A March 5, 2005, letter from the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center said biologists there are concerned the proposed development is close to known habitat for the California tiger salamander and that the ranch probably has habitat the salamander could use.

Center biologists met last week with a consultant working for Nemee to tour the ranch.

Michael Milne, a staff biologist for the center, said he was disturbed the golf course was largely completed before any permits were approved. Milne said that means the project has already missed opportunities to protect habitat in the area.

For example, waterways within the golf course already have been lined with cobbles and concrete, he said.

"Once you start disturbing wetlands, there's federal legislation that kicks in," Milne said. He called for a full EIR that considers construction of the golf course.

Many who spoke at the meeting criticized county officials for not keeping a tighter rein on the construction of the golf course, which began several years ago.

Calaveras County Supervisor Bill Claudino said his understanding is that Nemee is doing things that he can legally do on farm land. A top county planning official backed him up.

"Agriculture is one of the freest zones for what you can do on land without permits," said Bob Sellman, interim director of the county's planning department.